Track and Signal Maintenance and Improvement Work to be Performed on L Line Weekend of Aug. 10-13

L Service Will Operate Between Broadway Junction and Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy During Weekend of August 10-13; Shuttle Buses and Additional Train and Local Bus Service to Provide Alternatives

MTA New York City Transit announced that track and signal maintenance and improvements, as well as station improvements and other work, will be performed on the line from 11:30 p.m. Friday, August 10, to 5 a.m. Monday, August 13, during which time trains will operate only between Broadway Junction and Canarsie-Rockaway Pkwy. Shuttle buses, additional train service and additional local bus service will provide travel alternatives to customers.

Next weekend’s work will help prepare the line for reliable service when the tunnel between Brooklyn and Manhattan is reconstructed in 2019 and service will run in Brooklyn only. There will be six more weekends of this type of proactive maintenance and preparatory work on different parts of the line in October and November.

“Our crews are working hard on track and signal infrastructure during periods of lower ridership so that while the train tunnel is reconstructed and we run in Brooklyn only next year, it’s the most reliable service we can deliver on the line,” said NYC Transit President Andy Byford. “We thank our customers for their patience and understanding while we perform this important work that will not only improve service today but is also critical to ensuring next year’s reconstruction project goes as smoothly as possible.”

In addition to extensive track and signal work on the line, this year’s preparatory weekend work will focus on preparing the tunnel and project entry sites, as well as the infrastructure above and around the tunnel. Preparatory digging of elevator shafts and entrances will be conducted at the 1 Av station, to allow for the transfer of construction materials during next year’s tunnel reconstruction. Track and signal infrastructure at Bedford Av will also be rebuilt to ensure that trains can reliably turn around there and proactive track maintenance will be performed to ensure reliable service during next year’s Brooklyn-only train service.

SERVICE CHANGES:
To minimize the impact of these preparations, the work is being done on weekends when ridership is significantly lower. To accommodate customers during next weekend’s preparatory work starting Friday Aug. 10 at 11:30 p.m., New York City Transit is running shuttle buses in Brooklyn and enhancing subway and bus service in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Signs will be posted at affected stations and subway and bus routes, and NYC Transit staff will also be available at select stations to answer questions and provide information.

For service between Manhattan and Brooklyn:

weekend service changes: During days and evenings, trains will operate between 96 St in Manhattan and Middle Village-Metropolitan Av. trains will run from Middle Village-Metropolitan Av to Essex St, via the from Bway-Lafayette to Lexington Av/63 St, then via the to 96 St and Second Avenue. trains will not run overnight. For overnight service, take the and transfer to at Essex St.

service: Service is not affected.

For service in Manhattan:

M14A bus: Additional buses will run between Eighth Avenue and Essex Street, making all stops in Manhattan.

For service in Brooklyn: Free shuttle buses will operate along the line in Brooklyn, following three routes:

Information on alternative service options during other weekend preparatory work will be announced closer to those dates. The full schedule of line weekend work in 2018 is as follows:

August 10-13

October 5-8

October 12-15

October 19-22

October 26-29

November 9-12

November 16-19

ABOUT THE CANARSIE TUNNEL RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT:

The Canarsie Tunnel was one of nine underwater tunnels that flooded during Superstorm Sandy in 2012, all of which required extensive rehabilitation and repair. The Canarsie Tunnel suffered extensive damage to tracks, signals, switches, power cables, signal cables, communication cables, lighting, cable ducts and bench walls throughout a 7,100-foot-long flooded section of both tubes. Bench walls throughout those sections must be rehabilitated to protect the structural integrity of the tubes.

The scheduled 15-month closure of the Canarsie Tunnel’s two tubes begins in April 2019. MTA New York City Transit and the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) have announced a robust plan for alternative transportation options specific to the 15-month closure, which is available on the MTA’s project website.